Priorities of the Estonian Presidency of the Council of the EU

nity through balance - that's the motto of the Estonian Presidency of the Council of the European Union. Europe has plenty of common ground to come together to successfully tackle all the challenges and make the most of all the possibilities that face us today. We must facilitate openness in

Recast Eurodac Regulation

urodac is a biometric database in which Member States are required to enter the fingerprint data of asylum-seekers in order to identify where they entered the EU. Established in 2000 and reviewed in 2013, its main purpose is to facilitate the application of the Dublin Regulation. The 2013 revision broadened

2016 G20 summit in Hangzhou, China

20 leaders met in Hangzhou, China, on 4-5 September. European Council President Donald Tusk and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker represented the EU at the summit. The theme of this year's summit was “Towards an innovative, invigorated, interconnected and inclusive world economy”. Leaders adopted a communique focusing on: strengthening the G20 growth agenda

2017 EU Budget draft: growth, jobs and migrant crisis in focus

Invest/Finance

he Commission has proposed the 2017 draft EU Budget of €134.9 billion in payments focusing on the two main policy priorities for Europe: supporting the ongoing recovery of the European economy and addressing the security and humanitarian challenges in our neighbourhood. Increased funding will go to investments in growth, jobs

EU: 2016 Dutch Presidency

or the first six months of 2016, the Netherlands shall hold the Presidency of the European Union. As EU Presidency holder, Dutch guiding principles are a Union that focuses on the essentials, a Union that focuses on growth and jobs through innovation, and a Union that connects with civil society.

2015 Prosperity Index: Montenegro ranked 60th globally

egatum Institute, a British think-tank, has published 2015 Prosperity Index data. The Legatum Prosperity Index contains data on 142 countries for 89 variables, spread across eight sub-indices. The Prosperity Index offers a unique insight into how prosperity is forming and changing across the world. Traditionally, a nation's prosperity has been based solely on

2016 EU budget draft – response to migrant crisis

n agreement was reached on the 2016 EU budget under extraordinary circumstances as the world witnessed the attacks in Paris. The EU institutions have taken their responsibility by concluding a deal well ahead of the deadline. Before finalising the agreement, negotiators observed a minute of silence for the victims of

The EU economy Autumn 2015 forecast

he economic recovery in the euro area and the European Union as a whole is now in its third year. It should continue at a modest pace next year despite more challenging conditions in the global economy. Against a backdrop of declining oil prices, accommodative monetary policy and a relatively weak

Eurostat:2Q 2015 Asylum seekers report

uring the first three months of 2015, 185 000 first time asylum seekers applied for protection in the European Union (EU), almost stable compared with the last quarter of 2014 but up by 86% compared with the first quarter of 2014. In particular, the number of Kosovars rose considerably to

European Commission: Managing the migrants crisis

he sudden rise in the number of people who are forced to flee their homes to escape violence and seek refuge, in their own countries or abroad, is a test for the European Union. The European Agenda for Migration presented by the Commission in May set out a comprehensive approach

Eurostat:1Q 2015 Asylum seekers report

Eurostat published its report on first time asylum seekers. During the first three months of 2015, 185 000 first time asylum seekers applied for protection in the European Union (EU), almost stable compared with the last quarter of 2014 but up by 86% compared with the first quarter of 2014.

2016 EU budget draft: jobs, growth, migration and global action

he Commission proposed a 2016 EU budget of €143.5 billion in payment credits to support the recovery of the European economy and help improve lives in Europe and beyond. The money will be invested to boost innovation, create jobs, help convergence among Member States and among regions, deal more effectively